Cinequest - Nosferatu (1922) @ California Theater San Jose

Showtime is 7 pm - we'll meet no later than 6.30 pm at the theater.

Buy your ticket here

Nosferatu
Quite possibly the most terrifying film ever made, F.W. Murnau’s Nosferatu remains a haunting masterpiece that continues to influence filmmakers even a century later.

Released in 1922 and loosely adapted from Bram Stoker’s Dracula (with character names altered to avoid copyright infringement), the film is set in the surreal, shadowy world of German Expressionism. Themes of death, madness, and the interplay of shadow and light permeate this chilling tale. Max Schreck’s Count Orlac, with his bald head, rat-like features, and long, bony fingers, is a ghastly, parasitic monster sustained by the blood of the living. His hunched, creeping form terrifies even in silhouette, presenting a stark contrast to the romanticized vampires of later portrayals. While Orlac still desires the blood of a virtuous young woman, he is no suave, alluring undead, but a horrifying creature embodying pure nightmare fuel.

Although the image of the vampire has evolved over the past century, Nosferatu remains a benchmark of horror cinema, a film whose disturbing visuals and haunting atmosphere continue to define the genre.

Special Accompaniment:
Musical accompaniment by Dennis James on the California Theatre's mighty Wurlitzer organ.